Signal device



D. W. ALLEN SIGNAL DEVICE Filed March 11 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' u m w wINVENTOR: David W. flllen, BY 75 Q TN ESSES M24 ATTORNEYS.

D. W. ALLEN SIGNAL DEVICE Nov. 11, 1947.

Filed March 11, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR; .D id W: flllezz B Y 4 MWITNESSES:

V ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 11, 1947 UNITE ST OFFEC SEGNAL DEVICE David i V. Allen,Rosemont, Pa,

assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Joseph VJ. Van Karner,

New York, N. Y. 7

6 Claims.

ihis invention relates to signal devices useful to aviators inemergencies when forced down either on land or by reason of enginetrouble, fuel exhaustion, or for other reasons, and to mariners whencast adrift in life boats after uhip sinkings. More specifically myinvention is concerned with daytime signal devices which emit smoke of adefinite color for the purpos of ready recognition by rescue orsearching parties.

Amongst the bjects or" my invention are to enable quantity production ofsuch signal devices expeditiously from relatively inexpensive materials,and at the same time render them safe against the possibility ofaccidental firing as well as immune against deterioration in storage.

In signal devices designed more especially for smoke emission, it is afurther aim of my invention to make possible the control of the burningof a signal producing material in them so that combustion will takeplace in the absence of flame,

Another object of my invention is to provide, in connection with signaldevices having the above attributes, and designed more especially formarine use, against the entry of water and extinguishment of the signalproducing material during the period of their submergence after beingfired and thrown overboard.

Gther objects and attendant advantages will appear from the followingdetailed description of the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is aview, partly in elevation and mainly in axial section, of a signaldevice conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken as indicated bythe angled arrows IIII in Fig. 1; and

Fi 3 is a horizontal section viewed as indicated by the angled arrowsIIIIII in Fig. 1.

From these illustrations it will be observed that my improved signaldevice comprises a container preferably of sheet metal having acylindric body I with a bottom 2 peripherally crimped to the lower edgethereof as at 3 for fluid-tightness, and with a top 4 which is similarlysecured to the upper edge of said body as at 5. A pair ofvertically-spaced diaphragms E and l subdivide the interior of thecontainer to provide a relatively deep lower compartment 8, a smallerintermediate compartment 9, and a relatively shallow upper or auxiliarycompartment It, said diaphragms being formed with peripheralfianges l lwhich are permanently secured to the body I by soldering or welding, Ata level immediately above the upper diaphragm 6, the body I has arelatively narrow soft zone or band I? with a terminal finger grasp l3by which it can be rolled oii when the upper or cover portion of thecontainer is to be removed. The wall of the lower compartment 8 of thecontainer is lined by a, snug fitting tube id of lightthermo-insulatingmaterial which may be of cardboard, and the bottom withheavy insulation it which maybe of asbestos and which. acts as a weightto maintain the device upright when afloat in water. A core tube ll. ofsmaller diameter and preferably of sheet metal, sets apart within thelower compartment 3, an annular subdivision lS for a charge ofcombustible material which is conventionally indicated at 19, and anaxial duct 23 which serves in a capacity later set forth, The upper endof the tube ll engages an. axial depression 2! in a. reinforcing annulus22 which may be of wood nd which immediately un-- derlies the lowerdiaphragm i with its peripheral. edge fitting in the insulating liningl5; and interposed between two centrally apertured disks 23 and 2d ofstill cardboard, in turn directly below said reinforcing disk, is apacking layer 25 of insulating felt or the like. The core tube I1 is inpractice sheathed as at 26 with paper or the like to prevent thecombustible material from being forced out of lateral holes 2? atdifferent levels in said tube during initial charging of the containerwith the material 19 under pressure. The upper diaphragm 6 is providedat the center with a group of five holes 28, see Fig. 2, of which thecombined area aggregrates that of a central opening 28 in the lowerdiaphragm l and the registering opening 3! of the reinforcing annulus22. During operation of the device, smoke emitted. during burning of thematerial [9 in the bottom of the container passe-s into the centralsmoke accumulation duct 2?! formed. by the tube I! and. from thencethrough the axial openings 29 and 36 in the lower diaphragm l and thereinforcing annulus 22, into the intermediate compartment 9, and'finallyfrom thence escapes through the holes 28 in the upper diaphragm 8'.Secured at its edge by soft solder over the holes 28 in the upperdiaphragm E is an upwardly-conceived disk 3i having small perforations32 in line with said holes. The purpose of this disk 3! will also beexplained later.

Lodged Within a conformative recess 35 in the under side of thereinforcing annulus 22 is a conventional form of starter which iscomprehensively designated by the numeral 36. As shown in Fig. 3, thisstarter has a jacket 31' with a plug 38 of phosphorus or the like in oneend, and a tail fuse 39 with terminal quick matches ll! and il extendingfrom its opposite ends, the, latter of which matches reaches down. intocontact with the combustible material l9 as shown in dotted lines inFig. 1 through a hole d2 in the annulus 22. Within the front end of theshell 3? of the starter 53 is the spiralized end 53 of a wire M which ischemically treated to effect ignition when drawn through the phosphorusplug 38. The wire id is extended upwardly from the starter 35, passingthrough aligned clearance holes 35 and id in the lower diaphragm l andthe reinforcing annulus E2, thence through the intermediate chamber 9,and. finally through a non-metallic bushing a? in the upper diaphragm 6auxiliary or top compartment it where it is provided with a pull ringt3, also preferably formed from non-metallic material. 7

When the device is to be used, the soft band i2 is rolled off by pullupon the finger grasp It, with consequent detachment of the coverportion of the container and exposure of the ring 53. With thispreparation, the ring 58 is pulled to set off the phosphorus 38 in thestarter 35, and the device thereupon thrown overboard. In the. interim,the fuse 39 of the starter 35 is consumed and the combustiblecomposition !9 in the bottom of the container ignited by the time thedevice strikes the water. Sufficient smoke pressure is thus generated topreclude entry of Water through the small orifices 32 of the shield disk35 during the brief period of submergence of the device which willimmediately right itself by reason of being weighted at the bottom, andwhich will thereafter float under the buoyant effect of the air trappedwithin the intermediate compartment 9. As the burning of the material !9intensifies, the heat and pressure generated will soon cause softeningof the solder around the protective disk SE and displacement of thelatter, so that the desired full amount of smoke is permitted to escapethrough the holes 28 in the upper diaphragm 6. As previously pointed outherein, the holes 28 are so proportioned as' to control the rate ofsmoke emission so that the burning material is maintained in asmoldering condition and flame thus prevented from issuing from thedevice with the smoke. Obviously, however, if flame is desired withsmoke discharge, the holes 23 in the diaphragm 6 may be made relativelylarger. Combustion will of course commence at the top of the charge l9and continue downwardly incident to which the paper sheathing 25 aroundthe core tube ll will be burned away to expose the lateral holes 2'1 insaid tube.

The combustible material may be of any of the well known chemicalcompounds ordinarily employed in signal devices of the kind to which myinvenion pertains, wherefrom may be selected one which will emit smokeof the particular color desired for any particular service.

Due to being hermetically sealed, the signal device of my invention willbe safe as regards the possibility of accidental firing with assuranceagainst deterioration of the combustible material within it duringstorage or ordinary handling. On the other hand, when the device is inuse, the insulation i5, i6 and 25 will act to prevent any internalmoisture condensation formed as a result of contact of the containerwith the cold water from reaching and contaminating the combustiblecharge l9.

It will moreover be apparent from the foregoing that my improved signaldevice lends itself to quick and easy assembling, and, by virtue ofbeing constructed from parts formed from cheap material, can beexpeditiously produced in quantity at comparatively low cost.

into the p Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A smoke signal device, operable by a fuse and capable of being setafloat in water, comprising a container with a removable cover andsubdivided by spaced diaphragms to provide upper, intermediate and lowercompartments; tubular means defining an annular subdivision forreception of suitable combustible material and an axial duct in thelower compartment with communication into the intermediate compartment;means in the upper compartment whereby the fuse is started; a finelyperforated element in the upper compartment releasably attached overholes of larger diameter in the upper diaphragm which finely perforatedelement, when the coveris removed and the combustible material ignited,permits only limited initial escape of the products of combustion,whereby sufiicient pressure is maintained in the intermediatecompartment to preclude entry of water during a brief interval ofsubmergence when the device is thrown overboard, the holes in theuppermost diaphragm aggregating a greater area than that of the holes inthe perforated element so that, when said element is displaced, agreater quantity of the combustion products, but still restricted inamount to prevent flame formation, is liberated.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the combined area of the holes inthe upper diaphragm aggregates that of the outlet opening from the axialduct in the lower compartment; and wherein the perforations through thereleasable element are located over the holes in said upper diaphragm.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein the perforated element is in theform of an upwardlyconcaved disk having a small perforation orperforations located above and respectively within the confines of theholes in the upper diaphragm; and wherein fusible means attach theconcaved disk to the outer face of said upper diaphragm with capacityfor yielding to subsequent displacement, under pressure and heat, by thesmoke confined in the intermediate compartment incidental to burning ofthe combustible.

4. The invention according to claim 1, in which the lower compartment islined at the top, bottom and sides with thermo-insulating material toprevent deterioration of the contained combustible.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein a layer of cushioning material, withassociated centrally apertured disks, is interposed between the lowerdiaphragm and the top of the combustible.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the starter is recessed into theunderside of a relative thicknon-metallic reinforcing disk, and saiddisk is mounted in the signal device container immediately beneath thelower diaphragm.

DAVID W. ALLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 2,328,916 Le Comte Sept. 7, 19431,548,724 Mann Aug. 4, 1925 2,119,697 Anderson June 7, 1938 1,557,610Peters Oct. 20, 1925 1,704,234 Young Mar. 5,1929 2,246,804 LipschutzJune 24, 1941

